Plan for increasing forests coverage to 20 per cent

SANGSAD BHABAN, Feb 7, 2018 (BSS) - Environment and Forests Minister Anisul Islam Mahmood today said the government planned for increasing forests coverage to 20 percent with 64,000 hectare land new forestation in the country.

"The government has targeted to plant new trees on 64,000 hectare land aimed at increasing the forests coverage to 20 percent in the country under the Seventh Annual Plan (2016-21)," he said this, while replying to a starred question from treasury bench member M Sirajul Islam Mollah of Narsingdi-3 in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The minister informed the House that currently the country maintains forests on 16 lakh hectare land, adding, "The government has undertaken special initiative to plant trees aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030)."

To expand the natural forests, the government would create aforestation on 55,000 hectare land controlled by the government and target to plant 55 million trees on homesteads and establishment estates, while 30,000 hectare land to be brought under aforestation at coastal area to face climate change impacts, he added.

"The government has also a target to create 5,000 kilometer green boundary on sea shore line and 20,000 kilometer strip garden and 2,000 hectare agar garden would be established for improving socioeconomic condition of the marginal people," Mahmood told the House.